


Midnight Potty by the Hallway Light

by A Magiluna Stormwriter (ariestess)



Series: Annealed [11]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cute Kids, Dragon Believer, Established Relationship, F/F, Families of Choice, Family Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Mother-Son Relationship, Motherhood, potty training
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-23
Updated: 2019-02-23
Packaged: 2019-11-04 13:23:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17898923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariestess/pseuds/A%20Magiluna%20Stormwriter
Summary: Mal is almost asleep again when she realizes she hasn't heard Henry's door squeak again.  She immediately tries to remember if they'd latched the gate at the top of the stairs to keep him from tumbling and hurting himself.





	Midnight Potty by the Hallway Light

**Author's Note:**

  * For [trinadeckers](https://archiveofourown.org/users/trinadeckers/gifts).



> Date Written: 20-21 February 2019  
> Word Count: 817  
> Recipient: trinaadeckers  
> Summary: Mal is almost asleep again when she realizes she hasn't heard Henry's door squeak again. She immediately tries to remember if they'd latched the gate at the top of the stairs to keep him from tumbling and hurting himself.  
> Spoilers: Pre-series canon divergent AU of the entire series, but anything we know about Regina & Maleficent still holds mostly true.  
> Warnings: No standard warnings apply  
> Series: Annealed  
> Website: ShatterStorm Productions – Doggie Duo  
> Link to: http://bdkk.shatterstorm.net/  
> Archive: ShatterStorm Productions & AO3 only…all others ask for permission & we'll see…  
> Feedback: Constructive criticism is always welcome.
> 
> Author’s Disclaimer: "Once Upon a Time," the characters, and situations depicted are the property of Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis, Kitsis/Horowitz, and ABC Studios. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes. Previously unrecognized characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. This site is in no way affiliated with "Once Upon a Time," ABC, or any representatives of the actors.
> 
> Author’s Notes: Carissa was having a bad day, so I offered up a little DragonQueen and/or DragonBeliever to hopefully brighten her mood. And then this idea kicked in because of a picture I've had in my RP folder for YEARS. I wish I could remember where I'd saved it from, but I can't even find it in a google reverse image search. But this fic just kind of flowed from there, and I was drowing in the cute. LOLOL! FTR, I think I stole the name of Henry's dragon from my "a million lights" verse's name for Roland's dragon. If I have an actual name for Henry's dragon, please remind me because I can't find it anywhere. And yes, my title is a riff off the Meatloaf song "Paradise By The Dashboard Light". I couldn't help myself.
> 
> Dedication: My muses, as usual…
> 
> Beta: Not currently betaed, but I think I caught all my major issues. If I missed something, please let me know?

She hears it first. The sudden, high squeal of the nursery door that Regina keeps getting on her to fix. But it's times like this that she remembers why she _doesn't_ fix it. Their little prince has just started wearing pullups overnight while they potty train him. He's so earnest about learning to use the potty like a big boy. It doesn't matter that he's adopted; he is most definitely Regina's son.

Regina sleeps deeply, spooned in front of her. She's been dealing with budgetary meetings lately, and it's had her stressed out, so Mal casually suggested a mug of valerian tea before bed, and it put Regina right out. She loves that her girlfriend is so accepting of the more hippy-dippy homeopathic methods she likes to use.

She shifts up slightly at the sound of something dragging in the hallway. It stops relatively quickly, and then nothing. Mal is almost asleep again when she realizes she hasn't heard Henry's door squeak again. She immediately tries to remember if they'd latched the gate at the top of the stairs to keep him from tumbling and hurting himself.

Taking a deep breath, she carefully eases her arms away from Regina, not wanting to wake her up, then slips out of bed. She pulls on a sweatshirt over her tank and boxers as she heads for the door. She carefully opens the door and steps out into the hallway, stopping dead in her tracks at the sight before her. It takes everything in her to keep from laughing outright at the sight.

There in the hallway is the potty chair against the wall next to the night light. Sitting atop the potty is two-year-old Henry, naked as the day he was born and with his head bowed forward. A glance behind him reveals a trail of his pajamas, pullup, and stuffed dragon starting from the bathroom toward his current position. For a split second, she wonders if he's possibly straining a bit, but then a soft snore wafts toward her and it all makes sense. 

Swallowing back her laughter again, Mal quietly moves past him to get his discarded clothes, dragon, and a new pullup. The old, wet pullup goes into the bathroom trash, and she grabs a couple of wipes before heading back out into the hallway. Kneeling down, she gently pulls Henry up to lean against her chest as she wipes him clean, but sees nothing in the basin of his potty chair.

"Mm," he mumbles sleepily. "Mawwy?"

"Hey there, handsome," she says, tossing the wipes in the basin before grabbing the new pullup. "You fell asleep on your potty." He nods and clumsily lifts his legs as she gets the pullup on him. "How come your potty's in the hall?"

"No wight. Scawy."

Mal nods and kisses his hair. It takes little time to get him dressed again. "I'll fix the light in the morning, okay? For now, how about we get you back into your big boy bed?"

"Henny sweeps wif Mama an' Mawwy?"

He tilts his head back to sleepily smile up at her, and she knows the answer to his question already. She's not sure who has a harder time saying no to that sweet face, but she knows that Regina would be saying yes right now, too.

"Of course, you can, my little man." She presses a kiss to the tip of his nose and offers him his dragon. "How about I get you and Fiery into bed with Mama, then clean up here before I join you?"

"Otay, Mawwy," he says with a yawn, snuggling closer to her. "Wuvs you."

"I love you, too, Henry." She adjusts her grip on him as she stands and heads back to her bedroom. Regina still hasn't moved from earlier. "Do you want to snuggle with Mama in the middle?" When he nods and yawns again, she chuckles and settles him next to Regina. "I'll be right back, handsome. You and Fiery keep Mama safe, okay?"

"Uh-huh."

Mal chuckles softly, watching his eyelids drift shut as he snuggles into Regina's chest. Her heart clenches when Regina pulls him closer without waking. They are her entire world. She would give up her shop for them, if push came to shove. Scrubbing at her face, Mal turns to head back out into the hall to clean up the mess. She works as quickly as possible, washing her hands when she's done, then heads back into her bedroom. Pausing in the doorway, her eyes settle on the sight of Regina and Henry curled up, peacefully sleeping and both softly snoring. She removes her sweatshirt and slips under the covers again, molding her front against Regina's back as her arms encircle the two people who mean the most to her in the world.

Mal drifts off to sleep, content in the knowledge that her family is safe and loved.

**Author's Note:**

> The pic that inspired this fic... 
> 
>   
> Source unknown


End file.
